This zinc filter plant and zinc concentrate storage and load-out facility at Mount Isa Mines has helped reduce the concentration of zinc particles in the air by 75%. The storage facility, which was designed and constructed by Ahrens, was built 'inside out' to eliminate build-up of zinc concentrate. All the framework and support beams are visible on the exterior of the shed, providing a smooth interior surface. The state-of-the-art load out facility had been constructed over a railway line, allowing trains to pull into the shed so concentrate can be loaded into carts and covered while still inside the shed. In addition to the environmental benefits, the facility has increased production, with the new filters capable of producing 700,000 tonnes per annum of dried concentrate, nearly doubling the previous production rate. Ahrens is proud to be associated with this project for Xstrata, which has set a new benchmark for the extraction and handling of zinc concentrate within the Australian mining industry.

This full turn-key project was undertaken for Oz Minerals and met with conditions applied by the Darwin Port Authority and Freightlink to connect to the existing ship loader. The 30,000-tonne copper concentrate storage facility is stocked by an internal railway line and then loaded to ship, with tight product security required throughout the freight process. A fully laiden train is shunted into the storage shed and unloaded in a carefully designed dust proof environment. Environmental considerations are key to the design and include spill collection and product management via a series of containment drains, collector pits and dust filters. This was Oz Minerals' first NT Rail/Store/Ship venture and required close consultation with Ahrens, to ensure the facility met with EPA and freight regulations. The two companies were able to work together successfully to deliver a seamless project and a first-class facility that met all the client's logistic and storage requirements.